Where The Old Gods Rest

[Micah Talith]

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O L D M O R O S S T E R R I T O R I E S​

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E X O C R O N​

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Moross Crusade. The Shamalain Talith progeny were well aware of what that meant. What it stood for. The stories their father, mother, aunt, and uncle would reveal a history and people rich in tradition and in devotion of their Gods.

The only thing more surreal than that is to realize that three out of those four were venerated as avatars of the Moross Pantheon.

"Too weird," Micah said more to himself than to his sisters, the Rising Tide approaching the former capital of what once was Moross Crusade territories. He sat alongside a large viewport, juggling an apple from hand to hand with idle curiosity.

The rising sun would rise in a warm dawn, rays of saffron, coral, and indigo illuminating the observation deck he was in. Bright orange eyes shone a more vibrant hue at the sunlight's glow. One more year had narrowed Micah's face similar to that of his fathers, leaving the child he was in the past.

Training had intensified with his uncle and father. The days became weeks, then months, and Micah’s body had grown toward the man he might one day become, if he lived long enough. A few more inches in height along with a leaner physique. His hair was still a mop of tussled hair, but the blonde had darkened into a darker brown. He had already outgrown three sets of armor, and the seams on the newest were stretching at the shoulders.

They were all changing. They were growing up; and it was only the beginning.


[member="Aela Talith"] [member="Kaili Talith"] [member="Maleah Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Micah Talith"] [member="Kaili Talith"] [member="Maleah Talith"]

Aela sat quietly in the chair on the bridge of the Rising Tide.

The ship quite literally sailed through the stars, dropping out of hyperspace with less of a lurch than a normal ship. She smiled as she saw the planet, her fingers tightening into a fist slightly. She wore the same clothes she had worn when she had hunted the Titavian, scraps of drexl leather patched over her shoulders, stomach, and other vital parts.

The tight leather cord around her forearm was wound around form her hand to her elbow, a knife sticking out from beneath it. Her hair was tied back into a tight braid and there was a slight mark of faded paint on her face.

She had never been this far out in the galaxy, none of them had. This was their first trip to wild space. Father and Mother had allowed them to go only because of Aelas age. Both she and Micah had been training hard, both of them equal to many Jedi Knights. They walked taller, more confident, both of them ready to face any challenge that might come to them, even within the caves of Exocron.

Aela's hand fell to her lightsaber, tracing odd edged lines.

She already had what they would find here, or at least the physical. This trip was for Micah, for the family.

 

[Kaili Talith]

Over the years someone from a normal family would have thought that the phrase ‘It’s a family trip’ would have meant a vacation where the whole family could settle down on a beach and sip some drink while enjoying the sun and being lazy. In the Talith family however, this word had become somewhat distorted. Once more the youngest of their little clan was out on their own. It was just Micah, Maleah, Aela and Kaili on a trip to find something? Do something? To be real honest Kai had forgot why they were going, but she knew it would be potentially dangerous.

Armors had been brought with them. A pair of child-sized leather cuirass, greaves and boots looking to protect the most vital parts of the human body laid in front of the young girl. She picked the chestpiece up and held stretched it out in front of her to investigate it further. It was heavy. Not as heavy as she imagined it could be, but still heavier than she actually wanted it to be.

After carefully getting the greaves and boots on she lift the cuirass over her head before letting her shoulders catch it’s weight. It was strange. For a few pieces of equipment meant to protect her it felt a lot more like a slight weight that kept her from being truly comfortable. Still, if these things meant she could keep herself in a state of not-dying it was all fine with her. However, it wasn’t until the last few straps were in place that she realised that she should’ve perhaps put on something that didn’t leave her arms bare, but at this point she considered it far too late. Her sleeveless shirt would simply have to suffice.

Except for that the re-experience of wearing armor would just have to be something she’d get used to as they moved. Simple as that.

She left her room and made way over to Micah but totally entered at the wrong time. “What’s too weird? Are you saying it looks weird on me?”

Kai gave her brother an annoyed look. “You totally just said this looked weird on me!”

One more year later and Kai herself went through ‘changes’ as well. Oh how her parents warned her of this. Her face? Even pointier. The craving to finally start get out there and do things? Practically imploding.

But to go at it alone? Terrifying.

[member="Aela Talith"] / [member="Micah Talith"] / [member="Maleah Talith"]​

 

[Micah Talith]

Micah cast a glance over his shoulder [member="Kaili Talith"], a notable smirk dancing over his face as he appraised her.

"Totally," he would tease her, tossing her his apple, his tone relaying that he wasn't serious at all. " It is clearly too tight," he'd gesture over to her, coming to his feet. This time, he would look down at his sister, having grown a few more inches the past year. He wasn't the shortest one out of the group any more.

He gave a playful poke to her side, pushing at the leather. His eyes would dance with an impish light. "Holding back on the cookies might do you some good." He would joke, walking past her with the full intention to ruffle her hair.

"Nah, just thinking about the Old Gods and dad. It's still weird to me."

 

[Aela Talith]

Aela shifted in her seat slightly. The sails of the ship began to fold, their massive black foils slowly collapsing in on themselves as their support struts fell away. Piece by piece they disappeared, folding into the side of the ship and completely disappearing. The ship chirped slightly, the AI that piloted the craft informing Aela of the distance to the planet.

“Take us directly to the fortress.” Aela said, an air of authority in her voice.

The computer chirped again, and Aela stood. As she walked from the bridge she pulled a long fur cloak from the back of the throne like command chair, reminiscent of one that her father always wore. She draped it over her shoulders, clasping the metal buckles and heading towards the cargo hold of the ship.

Father had told her that the Fortress was abandoned, that it stood empty of all people save for its keepers. Aela had asked if the keepers were followed of Moross and her father had simply smiled and answered 'in a way'. It had been oddly cryptic, and father had declined to expand further upon his words.

She felt the ship rumble as the vessel broke the atmosphere.

With quick and curt steps she wandered over to one of the intercoms in the cargo hold, pressing the key so her voice resonated throughout the ship. “Draith, Nohei, were here.”

 

[Kaili Talith]

Apple caught, arms crossed and eyes staring to the side. Serious or not he didn’t have to call her fat, it was things like these that truly ate away at her and he knew that. He passed her by and just like always he made her hair look a mess again. A few quick pats at the top of her hair fixed it and her eyes set on her taller brother again. It felt like staring at a tiny mountain, which perhaps said something about how life was like for their mother.

Soon enough Kai would have to start bend her knees to get hugs from that one.

With a sigh she let it go. It was for the best to not get all riled up like he wanted her to. While certainly far from what she wanted to do she had been told that getting ‘even more in control’ was probably for the best unless someone really used it against her or if she did something she would regret.

Still...

She heard Aela’s announcement on the intercom. Following close behind in her brother’s towering shadow she looked to the ground. The saying about height must have been thought up by a very wise man or woman.

The bigger they are...

Micah took a step, his foot arching back. They were approaching the bridge. This was it. Kaili’s foot hooked itself around her brother’s ankle and pulled.

... The bigger the fall.

“Stop calling me fat.” She raised her nose for the skies with 'hmph' and entered the bridge.

[member="Aela Talith"] / [member="Micah Talith"]​

 

[Micah Talith]

The sound of Micah stumbling to catch his balance along with a colorful swear word shot behind [member="Kaili Talith"]. She got him good, his hand having to slam against the bulkhead to catch himself, but that didn't stop the crack of his head smacking against the nearby overhead sign.

"OW!" he shot out, glaring with one orange eye at his sister's back, his pride hurting more than his hard head.

"Love you too Nohei!" he'd glower out, rubbing the small swell on his head where he was now smarting a bump. "And you're going the wrong direction there!" he would add, a bit more smugly perhaps in small consolation.

"She's calling from the cargo hold." he'd point out to the small display where the call came from, moving on past her to head for the lift that would take them to that level.

"But I guess we can't blame you for your lack of spacial direction," he would tease, betting to get the last line in if he had to.

Granted, that is also when he started running, well aware he was playing with fire. He might be obnoxious, but he wasn't stupid.

 

[Aela Talith]

The ship cut through the upper atmosphere, shaking and bucking slightly as its powerful thrusters kicked into life.

Aela stood steadfast in the cargo hold, her hand wrapped around a durasteel wrung attached to the side of the door. She heard her siblings arguing, coming closer. A slight smile peeked out onto her lips, though as Draith and Nohei came closer and closer she quickly suppressed it in favor of her usual stoic appearance.

Bright orange eyes shifted back to look at her siblings only to be met with the same glowing orbs.

Briefly she wondered if their eyes were all the same. The thought suddenly struck her, coming out of nowhere as a brief curiosity. They were all orange of course, their father had said that was natural for their family, but Aela wondered if perhaps Noehi had more glowing eyes, or Draith had a darker hint to his.

She mused for a second and decided that she would photograph her siblings eyes, including Kharyi's.

“We're almost to the fortress.” Aela said as the two of them came closer.

 

[Louise]

Of course, something already lurked in the cargo hold.

Two things, actually.

Skipping sibling interaction was fast becoming Maleah Talith's speciality. Not to say that the girl didn't love her sisters and her twin, no, far from it. She just found a certain joy in nature's isolation and a certain loathing for cramped ships and a mass of bodies in a small space.

Simply put, she was at peace outdoors and much less when in.

So of course, with Toofless as her cargo hold companion they had receded to the corner of the room and simply rested together. The nexu lay on his back, allowing Maleah to use him as a large carnivorous bed (and he was much larger). Despite the setting, there was a slight perfection in it, girl and beast feeling so in-tune with one another.

Well, until Aela came.

“Shh,” Maleah spoke to Toofless as the footfalls of her older sister rang through the halls, the twin moving from her cat mattress and into a crouch in the corner. Any time was a good time to practice the skills of the hunter. Stay in the shadows, soft precise footsteps, no branches to step on but plenty of acoustics.

With her prey spotted, the girl edged closer and closer until she was upon her sister's back, with Toofless remaining in the corner watching in mild amusement.

“BOO!” came the roar from Maleah, the girl's hands suddenly grabbing Aela's shoulders.

 

[Kaili Talith]

Her head lowered in surprise. Had she really been all up in her urge to get revenge that she forgot to actually look for the call’s source and/or location? Yes, yes she had but it had been worth it. As Micah pointed it out her eyes darted from side to side. Still going fairly adamant in her nose-up-high attitude she had put on, he was quite clearly asking for it. With the way he insulted her spatial awarness in what most likely was a jab at her inability to fly.

She had already won the high road with the felling of the giant. She could just do that again, except better. Rather than chase after the kid by some mean of actually running after him she let him go. She was better than wasting that energy before the mission, because unlike her brother she was actually the smart one.

Sorta.

“I’ll get you, Micah.” She calmly stepped inside the elevator by her brother, chilling presence and all. “Just you wait.”

If he knew her as well as he did then he would know the difference between a threat and a promise. Kaili was not ever one to make threats on her brother. Being the last to enter the cargo hold she looked at her sisters.

“Maleah!” Genuine joy radiating into the name drop. She wasn’t in isolation this time? Sweet! “Aela.”

“... Micah.”

 

[Micah Talith]

[member="Kaili Talith"] [member="Maleah Talith"] [member="Aela Talith"]


"Sup, Kharyi," Micah would toss out to his twin, flashing that typical impish grin in avid amusement. He was not surprised that she was down here with Toofless, and as he would walk by, he would reach out to give the Nexu a scratch behind the ears. He may not be as skilled as his sisters when it came to animals, but at the very least he wouldn't get his arm bit off.

The ship gave a small shudder as they kept moving through atmo, moving towards the northern mountain ranges where the old fortress of the Gods lay. From what their parents told them, it was carved along the side of a mountain range, couldn't miss it. His mum spoke of it fondly, but there was no end in warnings on what was around there that could be potentially dangerous.

They were older now though, and with that came a certain amount of trust in their abilities. Granted, the fact that Aela was playing babysitter help -- even if he wasn't too keen on that.

He was old enough to look after himself now!

With a last minute check at his gear, he would grab the thick dark gray cloak, the furred edges warming his neck and the lined furred hood would do nicely in Exocron's cold weather.

"So is it completely empty?" he asked, " Or do you figure someone decided to squat while dad and the others were gone?"

 

[Aela Talith]

She half jumped out her skin as Maleah yelled in the back of her ear. Goosebumps crawled across her flesh and her mouth went agape in sheer shock. Aela whirled on Kharyi her face flushed with anger and her lips thinned.

For a brief few seconds she was going to yell at her little sister, tell her that scaring people isn't nice, especially when they had just landed at a scary old abandoned Fortress. Yet she was interrupted by her little brother speaking first. Her expression soured, and she frowned at the twins. It was unfair how they were always working together, even when they weren't doing it consciously. They had a way of getting what they wanted.

“No.” Aela said with more than a little grump in her tone.

She walked by Maleah, kicking her foot in vengeance as she did so. Her hand would ghost over towards the ramp lever, the other reaching to her cloak to make sure the heavy fur was properly put into place.

“Father said the Fortress has keepers.” Aela rolled her eyes. Of course she had been the only one that had listened. “The people on this world respect the gods too much to go into the fortress.”

 

[Louise]

A small and incredibly cheeky grin surfaced upon Maleah's face as her big sister almost painted her breeches a new shade of brown. Sure, it was slightly cruel to sneak up upon the unsuspecting in such a manner but hey, it's all in the name of practise, honing the skills of the primal girl. Surely the most studious Talith couldn't deny that, could she?

Well, not Aela perhaps but there was her terrible alter ego, The Grumpus.

However before The Grumpus could rear her usually annoyed head Micah stepped in to save the day, sparing his twin from the hair-drier treatment complete with mass amounts of scolding.

“Just hiding out, the usual,” she responded in her standard casual attitude that had been birthed from her former child-like excitement, shooting a grin at both her twin and her younger sister, Kaili. The grin remained even as Aela gave her foot a kick, as garnering a reaction from her was the ultimate prize.

As cloaks were ruffled and exposition given, Maleah returned to Toofless who was more than eager at the prospect of the descending ramp.

“Sounds spooky, huh?” she said to the large nexu, who promptly snapped the air, showing no cause or concern for anything spooky. Or maybe he just wanted off the ship. Little of column A, little of column B really.

 

[Kaili Talith]

An eye went out to bitterly stare at the Nexu, then Maleah, then Aela and finally Micah. This wasn’t the greatest idea of fun either. Armor, cold, fur and old abandoned forts. Adventure, sure, but there was still just something that made everything so very annoying and Kaili had little idea why. Everything just really sucked and the galaxy was horrible and everything worked against her.

The slight shake of her head and a groan was all she really wanted to afford the others as well as a “Whatever.”

So there she was, right? Fourteen and everything just really sucked. The galaxy did so not understand her and everything felt like absolute dung all the time every now and then. But that wasn’t Maleah or Aela’s fault. Not even Micah’s and she pushed the sincere thoughts of injustice away.

The indifferent-almost-bitter-and-disinterested stare was allowed to stay though.

“So, like, we go in there, then what?” All that was missing was the snooty bubble blowing of gum. No wait, there could be... Kaili dropped all thoughts of being bitter in an instant. “DROIDS!” She burst happily. “There must be droids, they would keep the place in a better shape than any organic could.” Eye out to the Nexu, again. “No offense, big guy.”

 

[Micah Talith]

"Yeah but that doesn't mean that people off world will have that same amount of respect there, Esmae," Micah shot back, giving an expression that said, yeah, didn't think of that did you?

He would check his gear one more time. The stories his parents told them all gave them one singular warning, be prepared for anything and everything. Which is why this little trip was as much as a lesson in utilizing all that they'd been training on as well.

A smirk went flashing over at Nohei, "Maybe. We'll see. I know that there was the mention of the Tree here." there were other stories as well. "Plus whatever is down in the underground caverns." which is where they were going. Well at least the goal.

To explore the fortress and go down to the caverns where they would search for any sign of the rare Angraal crystals. If they so happened to stumble across that ice monster his mom's saber hilt was made out of, well -- that was just icing on the cake!

[member="Kaili Talith"] [member="Maleah Talith"] [member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Micah Talith"] | [member="Maleah Talith"] | [member="Kaili Talith"]

“No.” Aela said very sternly to Micah. “Father said not to go near the tree.”

The tree of course, had been talked about before, in stories and hushed whispers by Aunt Amorella and their father. In the fairy tales they had been told as children. Yet before they had left, Father had made it very clear that one part of the fortress was off limits.

The tree was located in a cavern below the Fortress, a different dug out subsect of the caverns where they were going. It was more secluded, and there was but one way to get there. Aela knew that because she had listened to their father when they left. “He said it was dangerous.”

Of course, unbeknownst to any of the children, the tree was a force Nexus. A connection of energy that had been slowly gathered and leeched away from the followers of Moross via Sith Magic. Going near it was dangerous, touching it could be deadly.

 

[Micah Talith]

"Always so serious," Micah would tell [member="Aela Talith"], amused as much as annoyed. "Never willing to push the boundaries -- live a little. "It was much of a tease as it was serious. In Micah's mind, Aela was always in the straight and narrow; she always did as she was told and was the perfect, boring, prodigy filial daughter.

Not a single smidgen of fun and recklessness in her.

The ship gave another small shudder, then Felix's metallic voice would echo over [member="Kaili Talith"], [member="Maleah Talith"], and the siblings head.

[ Landing in one minute ]

Micah's brows rose, and he gave a cheeky grin to his siblings.

"Well here we go!" A minute later, the landing struts would crunch onto a swath of snow upon what was once one of the landing pads for the fortress.

 

[Kaili Talith]

“Sometimes it’s called for, Draith.” Kaili shrugged. “If father wants us to not touch that tree we should, you know, not touch that tree. Unless you want to get on his bad side when we get home, of course.”

With the announcement and -- not long after -- the jolt of the ship touching down Kaili got herself ready. Each strap on the armor got itself another lookover and the saber on her belt a pat to ensure it wouldn’t fall off. She was all good to go and hopefully so were the others.

“Come on, let’s go.” The kid stepped out into the snow. “Let’s see what’s so bad about this place.”

[member="Aela Talith"], [member="Maleah Talith"], [member="Micah Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

She frowned slightly.

It was called for.

Father had said the tree was dangerous, very dangerous. Aela wasn't willing to mess with anything that her father considered dangerous, not something like that. Shaking her head Aela followed after her little sister, her back stiffening and the long braid getting pulled over her shoulder so that her hood would properly slide over her head.

It would be cold.

That prediction proved correct, and as the ramp lowered itself a gust of powerful wind struck Aela in the face, snow flurries pressing against them and biting at their skin. Aela closed her eyes for a second and breathed in the cold air.

It felt like Atoa. She smiled slightly, then shifted and walked down the ramp.

She knew that the fortress would stand empty, but there was an uneasiness to her, as if something bad was about to happen.

 

[Micah Talith]

Snow would crunch underfoot as Micah would head down the ramp onto the thr docking bay. Arctic winds would bite at his face, whipping dark forelocks away from his brow. With an exhale that would leave a small cloud of condensation, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a cold weather black toque.

"Well, just what we expected, ey?" Micah would wisecrack, tugging the toque over his wild mop of hair. Small tuffs of brown would still be visible under the black fabric, but at least now his head would stay a bit warmer. Joke aside, twin Amber orbs were scanning their surroundings. It was like a sea of white to the left and to the right. Snow drifts came here and there, but the visual was relatively clear.

Panning back to the fortress, while he kept it to himself, it was a daunting sight to see. The tales his parents had told him in his youth and prior to the excursion to Exocron wouldn't quite prepare him for the actual sight of it. To an extent, he felt quite small.

"Come on," he encouraged his siblings, moving forward towards the entrance that lay beyond. Around his neck, the small leather bag that contained the last Angraal crystal his father and mother collected over eighteen years ago swung lightly over his heart next to the two alchemized and imbued talismans he'd made.